Purple Heart stolen in Leicester home invasion

LEICESTER, Mass. (AP) — One of the items stolen in an armed home invasion in Leicester last weekend was a Purple Heart earned by the World War II veteran father of one of the victims, police said.

Two men, one of whom had a gun, entered a home on Sunday night, used zip ties to bind three occupants and sealed their mouths with duct tape before stealing cash, jewelry and the medal. No one was injured. The victims freed themselves and called police.

The Purple Heart was earned by a man who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and fought on Iwo Jima, police told The Telegram & Gazette (http://bit.ly/1abbm75 ).

One suspect was described by police as a heavyset Hispanic or light-skinned black man, around 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with dreadlocks, a full, scruffy beard with a moustache, and a Cincinnati Reds baseball cap. The second suspect was described as a white man, around 6-feet-3, with a muscular build and wearing all black.

Police think the home was targeted.

A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

The Purple Heart can be mailed to the Leicester Police Department, or police will pick it up at any reasonable location, no questions asked, they said.